Hat brim ironing machine



May 15, 1934. G, C|PR|ANO I 1,959,091

HAT BRIM IRONING MACHINE 2 BY ATTORNELS May 15, 1934 G, clPRlANo HAT BRIM IRONING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet I?- Filed Nolv. l0. 1931 INVENTOR GA/vooufo OPE/ANO BIY ATTORNEVYS /i/ '5; fm

May 15, 1934.

G. CIPRIANO HAT BEIM IRONING MACHINE Filed Nov. l0. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY 4 ATTORNE May 15, 1934. G. CIPRIANO HAT BRIM IRONING MACHINE Filed Nov. l0. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 R O T N E V m GA/vooU-o CYP/WAND Bvh ATTORNEYS Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED SAES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a process and machine for making felt hats and more particularly, felt hats for mens wear.

One of the objects of the invention is to shorten the process whereby such hats are made.

A further object of the invention is to eliminate one or more Vsteps now performed by hand but which by the use of my improvement may be performed by machinery.

It is generally customary to manufacture hats from what are called blanks, which blanks roughly approximate a hat, but a number of operations are required to transform the blank into a finished hat. For instance, the blank is first blocked to give the approximate size to a hat crown and this is done on a wood block which is immersed in a chamber to which steam is applied. Further operations consist in ironing the hat crown; pressing the brimv flat to take out any wrinkles; pouncing the brim; waxing the crown and cutting the brim to the proper size. The crown is then put into a mould and a rubber bag is inserted inside of the hat and hydraulic pressure applied to compact the material of the hat crown and give it the shape desired. The hat is then trimmed, that is to say, the lining and sweat-band are applied, as well as the exterior band.

Up to this time the hat brim has not been completed. `Further steps in the making of the hat consist in curling the edge of the brim and ironing it by hand. This is accomplished by placing the hat on a properly shaped form and applying a cloth to the outside of the brim which is either moistened after it has been applied or is applied in a moistened state. A hot iron is then passed over the cloth, thereby ironing the brim so that it retains its shape. The brim, at an early stage in the cutting of the hat, is impregnated with some stiffening compound which gives a slightly greater degree of stiiness to the brim than to the hat crown. In order that the moisture which has been absorbed into the hat brim during the ironing process may be dried out, the hat is then subjected to what is called sand bagging, which consists in placing the hat while still `on the form which has been used in the ironing process in contact with hot dry sand and allowing it to stand for several minutes.

By the process of the present invention the hat brim, instead of being ironed by hand is ironed at the same time that the crown of the hat is being subjected to the hydraulic pressure so that these two steps are performed at the same time and the sand bagging step may, in

most instances, be entirely done away with. The trimming of the hat is performed after the crown has been pressed and the brim ironed.

My improved method results in the desired smooth surfaces on both sides of the brim and it also permits the vapors produced by the ironing to escape from the brim.

My improved process may be carried out in various ways but for illustrative purposes I have shown a machine for accomplishing this. In such machine I retain the usual crown mould and rubber bag for pressing the crown of the hat and I associate brim-ironing members with the rubber bag and with the crown mould. These two brimeironing members are complementary. 7U They are brought together at the time that the rubber bag and crown mould are brought together so that the crown of the hat will be pressed and the brim of the hat will be ironed at the same time. Y

The machine which I use in carrying out my improved process is of a well-known type insofar as the mechanism for forming the hat crown is concerned. A number of novel elements, however, are associated in the machine to enable it to carry out my new process.

Referring to the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional the machine;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is any enlarged'sectional view sim ilar to Figure Vl but showing a lower portion of the machine with the parts in a diierent position than that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4 4, Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail looking upwardly from the under side of the lower member of the hat brim-pressing couple;

Figure 6 is a detail looking from the top of the crown-pressing member.; and

Figure 'Tis a detail of the toggle link for the plunger shown in locked position.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the machine 100 frame consists mainly of a base portion 10 supporting a head portion 11 by means of three posts 12. The lower ends of these posts are connected to lugs 13 of the base l0 and the upper ends of the same are connected to lugs 14 105 of the head portion l1. The head portion 11 has the shape of a guide sleeve for the purpose of receiving and guiding a vertically movable hollow plunger 15. This plunger is reciprocated vertically by means ofa toggle mechanism com- 110 view of prising a rock shaft 16 journalled in lugs 17, Figure 2, formed on the guide sleeve 11, a toggle arm 18 rigidly secured to the rock shaft 16, a toggle link 20 pivotally connected at 21 to the free end of the arm 18 and pivotally connected to a pivot pin 22 rigidly secured in the lower end of the plunger 15.

The rock shaft 16 is actuated by means of a hand lever 23, Figures 1 and 2, rigidly secured to it and by the manipulation of which the toggle will serve to raise and lower the plunger 15. The upper position of plunger is indicated in Figures l and 2 and the actuated position of the toggle 20 is shown in Figure 7 and the aotuated position of both toggle and plunger is shown in Figure 3. Y

The plunger 15 is suitably slotted on both sides at 24, Figures l and 2, so -as to clear the rock shaft 16 when the plunger reciprocates `and the lower ends 25 of these slots serve to determine the topmost position of the plunger 15. The plunger 15, Figures 1 and 2, is also slotted at 26 to permit the operationV of the toggle connections :and permit the same to wholly house themselves within the plunger when the same has been fully depressed.

For ease of operation and to cause the plunger 15 to remain in -either upper or lower positions counterweights 27, Figure 1, are provided. These counterweights 27 are supported 'on a bar 28 carried by two pulley belts 29 which pass over pulleys 30 loosely mounted upon a shaft 31, which shaft is carried by the sleeve l1. The other ends of the pulley belts 29 are .connected to the opposite ends of the pivot pin `22, Figure 2.

The lower end of vthe plunger 15 has secured to it by means of bolts 32 a disk-shaped plate 33, Figures 1, 2 and 3, which carries the usual crown pressing rubber bag 34 which is adapted to cooperate with the well-known crown mould which is carried in the base of the machine and which will be described in detail hereinafter. The plunger 15, plate 33 and bag 34 may, for convenience of identification, be considered as constituting a pressure head. The rubber bag 34 is secured to the plate 33 in the following manner: The open upper end of the bag 34, Figures 1,2 and 3, carries an linwardly turned flange 35 which is engaged on one side by the plate 33 and upon its under side by a plate 36 which is secured to the plate 33 by means of bolts 37. The plates 33 and 36 by pressing between them the rubber flange 35 form a fluid-tight connection between the bag 34 and the plate 33. Fluid pressure adapted to be applied to the inside of bag 34 enters through holes 38 and 39 formed in plates 36 and 33 respectively. A fluid pressure line 40, Figures l and 3, is provided with a gauge 41 and a stop cock 42. i

In order to prevent the pressure within the bag from distending the same near its top, a metal ring 43, Figures l, 2 and 3, snugly encircles the same and is secured in a suitable manner to the plate 33.

In order to carry out the main purpose of my invention, that is, to iron the brimrof the hat at the same time that the crown is pressed, I provide an oval-shaped metallic brim-ironing member 44, Figures 1, 2 and 3, which is associated `with the rubber bag 34 and is complementary to a brim ironing member associated with the crown mould carried in the base 10 of the machine and vwhich will be described hereinafter. This brim-ironing member 44 encircles the rubber bag 34 and is slidably carried by the plate 33 in the following manner: The upper side of the member 44 rigidly carries four vertically arranged pins 45 which extend through holes in the plate 33. The upper ends of the pins 45 have holes through which extend cotter pins 47 so that the ironing member 44 is slidably and removably suspended from the plate 33. Coil springs 43, Figures 1, 2 and 3, encircle each pin 45 and are interposed between the plate 33 and the upper Aside of the brim-ironing member 44. The purpose of these springs will be hereinafter described.

I will now describe the crown-pressing and brim-ironing members which are carried on the base 10 of the machine and are complementary to and cooperate with the rubber pressure bag 34 and the brim-ironing member 44 carried by the plate 33. These members carried by the base 10 comprise a crown mould 49 and a brim-ironing member v50, Figures l, 2 and 3. These two members are separable and are accurately fitted together for the purpose of pressing the crown and ironing the brim of a hat, and as each member rests independently upon the base 10, t-hey must be fitted together so that the vconnection between them will not mar the appearance -of the hat vand so that they will not wobble or shi-ft under ironing pressure.

The crown mould 49, which is partially Ahoused within a hole in the base 1.0 has formed upon its under side a flat surface 5l, Figures 1,2 and 3, which is adapted to rest upon a like surface formed in the base l0. The ,crown mould 49 is oval-shaped so 4as to form an -oval hole 54 and a flat oval-shaped surface 52, as seen from top in Figure 6, which is `formed parallel with the surface 51. The oval-shaped hole is Vadapted to re ceive lthe crown of the hat and also has formed upon it a cylindrical peripheral -edge v55 `which is described `about the `center of the 4mould -49 as seen in Figure 6. The brim-ironing member 50 m-ust therefore be so shaped as to accurately -flt with the crown mould 49 and to this end it is provided with ;an oval-,shaped hole 56, lFigures 1, 2, 4 and 45, a at under surface 157, Figure 5, which is adapted t-o meet vwith surface 52 =of the mould 49 and another fla-t under surface 58, Figure y5, which is adapted to rest upon a like uppersurface of the base l0. The accurate meeting of surface 52 with surface 57 and the meeting of the flat surfaces 51 and V5.8 with the associated surfaces -on the base 10 as seen in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 `serve to prevent the wobbling of the crown and brim members Vunder ironing pressure.

In order that the center o-f the crown mould 49 will be set identical with lthe center of the brim mould 50, the same is provided with inwardly extending lugs 59 (see particularly Figure 5) which are machined to snugly t the cylindrical edge on the crown mould 49 and to cause the ovalsha-ped holes in the cro-wn mould 49 and the member 50 to accurately coincide, a means is provided to prevent axial shifting of the crown mould relative to the brim member `50 or vice versa. This means comprises a pin 60, Figures 4 and 5, adapted to fit in a recess 61 formed in one of the lugs 5.9 of the brim member 50.

Due to this manner of fitting together of the members 49 and 50, different size brim members 50 Vmay be fitted to the crown member 49 or vice versa, different size crown members 49 may be fitted to a particular size member 50. This interchange of differently shaped ironing members 50 with a crown 49 is advantageous as it enables many kdifferent shapes of hats to be formed without increasing the number of pressing members required.

A change of a differently sized brim member 50 with a particular crown mould 49 likewise necessitates a change in the complementary brimironing member 44 and this is readily done by simply withdrawing cotter pins 47, Figures l, 2 and 3, and removing the member 44 from the plate 33 and replacing a member 44 which will correspond and be complementary to the ironing member 50.

It is not necessary, however, to remove the bag 34 for each change in size of the crown moulds as it is understood that the rubber bag 34 will, by reason of its elasticity, accommodate itself to a wide range of sizes of crown moulds 49.

It will be noted that the members 49 and 50, Figures 1, 2 and 3, are joined at a point which lies within that portion of the crown of a hat which is covered by the hat band. Therefore,

the members 49 and 50 have been properly heated by means of a steam jacket in the base l0 the member 50 being heated by conduction due to its contact with the base, the plunger 15 is depressed until the bag 34 lies within the crown of the hat and its associated member 44 presses the hat brim 63 against the brim member 50 as shown in Figure 3. The distance required to bring the bag 34 within the mould 49 is longer than the distance required for the ironing member 44 to meet with the brim-ironing member 50 and therefore the downward movement of the plunger causes the coil springs 48 to be compressed and thus store up power to press the hat brim between ironing members 44 and 50.

To lock the plunger in its lowered or ironing position the toggle members are adapted to swing past dead center to position shown in Figure 7 so that a lug 64 on arm 18 of the toggle is engaged by a lug 65 on link 20 of the toggle.

Fluid pressure is then raised within the bag so as to press the crown of the hat and due to this iiuid pressure there is a resultant upward pressure upon the plunger 15 which will cause a take-up of all the lost motions in the various toggle connections so that there will be a slight upward movement of the plunger 15, but as this upward movement is slight and because sufficient pressure has been stored up in the springs 48, the ironing of the hat brim 63 by members 44 and 50 will be accomplished.

While the hat is being ironed the vapour caused by the heated members 44 and 50 will escape along the edges of the same as shown in Figure 3 and thereby produce a hat brim of a flexible and durable quality.

As the crown mould 49 and brim ironer 50 are merely placed upon the base l0 as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and are not held against shiftng upon their respective supporting surfaces, a means is provided whereby upper brimironing member 44 will cause the brim-ironing member 50 to shift into correct ironing relationship. For this purpose the brim ironer 44 carries lugs 64, Figure 2, having holes 65 adapted to be engaged by centering pins 66, Figures 2 and 4,

Therefore any slight displacement of the lower stationary ironing members 50 and 49 is corrected by pins 66 engaging the holes in the lugs 64.

As diiferent sizes of crown moulds and brim members 50 will require corresponding changes in the ironing or lowered position of the plunger 15, I provide a rapid and efficient means for accomplishing this purpose. The toggle link 20 is therefore made up of an internally threaded turn buckle 69 into which are oppositely threaded toggle link ends 70 and 71 which are pivotally connected, respectively, at 21 to the arm 18 and at 22 to the plunger 15. Turn buckle 69 may be turned in one direction to lengthen the toggle link and in the opposite direction to shorten the toggle link, thereby raising or lowering the ironing position of the plate 33 so that it corresponds with the particular size of members 49 and 50.

Turn buckle 69 is held against displacement by a lock lever 72 pvoted at 73 to a toggle end 70 and which is caused to lock against the hexagonally faced turn buckle by reason of a thumb screw 74 threaded into the toggle end 70.

By this adjustment the pressure exerted by the springs 48 is controllable and is preferably kept constant since it is desirable that the brim ironing pressure be substantially that which is used when the brim is ironed by hand. The hat crown, however, may be subjected to wide variations in pressure independent of the invariable pressure applied to the hat brim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for felt hat making in combination, a crown mould, means for subjecting the crown of the hat to pressure in the mould,

means for ironing the brim, means for applying varying pressures to the crown as desired and separate means for applying an invariable precsure to the brim ironing means.

2. In a machine for hat-making the combination with a crown mould, a rubber bag fitting said mould, means for introducing hydraulic pressure into said bag, a plate to which said bag is secured and means for effecting relative movement between said bag and said mould; of brimironing means consisting of upper and lower metallic surfaces between which the hat brim is pressed, means connecting one of said surfaces and said plate and yielding means in said connection.

3. In a machine for hat making the combination of a crown mould, a brim-ironing member associated with said crown mould, a rubber bag adapted to t said crown mould. a plate to which said bag is secured, a brim-ironing member complementary to said first-mentioned brim-ironing member carried by said plate, means for moving said plate to bring said rubber bag within said crown mould and springs between said plate and its carried brim-ironing member for storing up power to cause the brim-ironing members to be pressed together when said plate brings said bag within said crown mould.

4. In hat-forming moulds of the character described, the combination of a crown mould and a connected brim-ironing member, means for exerting Variable pressures on the crown of a hat within said crown mould and means for exerting a constant pressure on the brim of said hat upon said brim-ironing member, said latter means being independent of the pressure exerted on the hat crown.

5. In a hat-forming mould, the combination of Vupon lugs 67 carried by the brim ironer 50. a crown mould having an oval-shaped hole for 15Gy the reception of a crown of a hat and formed with a at undersurface and with a flat oval-shaped upper surface and an outer cylindrical surface, a brim-ironing member connected with said crown mould and formed with an oval opening adapted to coincide with said oval hole in said crown mould and with a flat under-surface for engagement with said flat oval surface of said crown mould and spaced cylindrical surfaces adapted to t with said cylindrical surface of said crown mould so as to centralize said brimironing member with said crown mould.

6. In a hat-forming mould, the combination of a crown mould having an oval-shaped hole for the reception of a crown of a hat and formed with a flat under-surface and with a flat ovalshaped upper surface and an outer cylindrical surface, a brim-ironing member connected with said crown mould and formed with an oval opening adapted to coincide with said oval hole in said crown mould and with a flat under-surface for engagement with said at oval surface of said crown mould, spaced cylindrical surfaces adapted to fit with said cylindrical surface of said crown mould so as to centralize said brim-ironing member with said crown mould, and means for preventing the turning of said crown mould relative to said brim-ironing member.

7. In a machine for felt hat making, in combination, a crown mould into which the hat is received, a pressure headmovable relatively to the mould, and including a rubber pressure applying bag, brim ironing means, means for introducing varying pressures into said bag and separate means for applying an invariable pressure to said brim ironing means.

8. In a machine for hat making, the combination with a crown mould, of a brim ironing member separate from the crown mould and loosely supported thereby, a brim ironing member complementary to the rst-mentioned brim ironing member, said members having cooperating surfaces, means for moving said brim ironing members into brim ironing position and means separate from said surfaces and carried by the respective members to insure proper registry of the same during brim ironing operations.

GANDOLFO CIPRIANO. 

